Arlene Foster: PM’s Brexit plan could see Northern Ireland separate from UK over next decade

Arlene Foster: PM’s Brexit plan could see Northern Ireland separate from UK over next decade BelfastTelegraph.co.uk DUP leader Arlene Foster has said that Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan could cause Northern Ireland to separate from the rest of the United Kingdom over the next decade. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/arlene-foster-pms-brexit-plan-could-see-northern-ireland-separate-from-uk-over-next-decade-37511841.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/article37351507.ece/004a1/AUTOCROP/h342/2018-09-25_new_44372573_I1.JPG Email DUP leader Arlene Foster has said that Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan could cause Northern Ireland to separate from the rest of the United Kingdom over the next decade. In an interview with RTE Mrs Foster confirmed that her party would not support any Brexit withdrawal deal which includes a Northern Ireland only ‘backstop’ and a border in the Irish Sea. It was revealed on Thursday that a letter sent to Mrs Foster and deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds suggested that the Prime Minister would be willing to include a Northern Ireland specific ‘backstop to the backstop’ in the final Brexit withdrawal deal. The backstop would see Northern Ireland remain in the EU single market and customs union in the absence of a trade deal being agreed between the UK and EU. It is intended to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and the EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have insisted it must be part of any UK withdrawal agreement. Prime Minister Theresa May has countered the plan by suggesting that the entire UK could remain inside the customs union for a time limited period. However the EU have said that that… [Read full story]